Strewth! Australian star Fraser Hay hammers Portsmouth’s highest individual Southern Premier League score since 2005

The Australian struck a glorious unbeaten 163 in a five-wicket success that lifted his side back into the second tier’s top four.

Hay was skippering Portsmouth in the absence of regular captain Ben Duggan. Asked to chase 263 for victory in 50 overs, he promoted himself from No 4 to open alongside Jack Marston - with devastating results for the visiting bowlers.

Hay shared a third wicket stand of 51 with James Christian, before putting on 110 for the fifth with Will Smitherman (35).

Hay smacked 18 fours and nine sixes in his 108-ball innings as Portsmouth stormed to their victory target with almost 12 overs to spare.

It was the highest innings by a Portsmouth player in the SPL since ex-Hampshire pro Lawrence Prittipaul smote 164 against the Hampshire Academy at The Ageas Bowl’s nursery ground in May 2005.

The highest score since then had been Hay’s 159 against Bournemouth in 2016, the first of his four successive seasons as Portsmouth’s overseas player.

Hay’s afternoon had started by losing the toss, with visiting skipper Spencer Le Clercq electing to bat.

He must have considered that a good move as Dons openers Chris Pratt and Henry Glanfield shared a stand of 168.

The partnership was ended when Pratt, on 81 from 93 balls, was caught by keeper Sujeeth Daini off the bowling of Carlin Joy.

Glanfield, having cracked six fours and five sixes in a 93-ball 91, was then caught by Wimble off the same bowler.

South African Justin Behrens added 40 off 45 balls as Hambledon posted 262-5 - easily their highest score of the Division 1 season to date.

But Hay’s onslaught ensured they ended up suffering their seventh consecutive loss since arriving in the second tier after back-to-back titles.

The Dons remain second bottom, even though cellar dwellers New Milton recorded their first win by beating Ventnor.

Nathan Feltham’s stunning century gave leaders Basingstoke & North Hants a scare before they secured a sixth win in seven matches.

After electing to bat and posting 245 at Allotment Road, the visitors dismissed Sarisbury openers Tom Morton (9) and skipper Josh Hill (2) cheaply.

And Athletic appeared destined for a heavy loss when they nosedived to 103-7.

But No 9 Sam Hill strode to the wicket to play a key supporting role as Feltham took the attack to the bowlers.

Hitting eight fours and the same amount of sixes, the middle order batter - coming in at 47-4 - smacked a stunning 114 off just 87 balls.

He put on 116 for the eighth wicket with Hill (24) before he was run out by Bradley Neal to make the score 219-8.

Sarisbury were quickly dismissed for 221 to lose by 24 runs - a far narrower margin of defeat that had once appeared likely.

Rob Franklin (3-43) and Sam Hill (3-53) had been Sarisbury’s leading wicket-taker, with Basingstoke No 3 Ashley Neal (58 off 52 balls) top scoring.